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Japanese Tanaka silver st#3 chef knife pear Santoku 165

Anyone have any experience with this knife? I am considering it as a gift for a friend for a house warming gift. She has knives that would be considered clubs to most of us. I would normally go for a gyuto, but she is scared of larger knives at this time. Please tell me anything u can about it.
Thanks,

I have been meaning to try these out for a long time. The concern with these is that the spine and choil will be rough - and that handle looks cheap and may/may not come with issues. I see these as a knife knut's knife - sanding and possible rehandling involved.

Safer to get a Tojiro DP or Fujiwara FKM. Masahiro also makes a superb bolsterless, poly-handled line in very nice VG-1 monosteel (Koki can get one for you - Masahiro is across the road from his store).

Yeah, so handle will be junk and a number of places will likely need easing, but it should cut great. I've got a few Tanakas and the F+F range from okay to atrocious. Have only handled the westerns once. The Wa's are pretty notorious for poor handles and machi/choil/spine finishing. But if you decide to go for it and don't like it, PM me and I might buy it off you. Like I said, they're great cutters, but need some work.

I bought a Tanaka KU blue 2 santoku for my girlfriend that she's been quite happy with. It's obviously not the most refined knife anyone has ever seen, but it takes a nice edge and feels nice in the hand. Though I haven't tried Tanaka's ginsanko blades, I think this particular knife should be a nice little cutter. Very functional with good performance, though not the prettiest thing ever.